The rule we live by
by QueenofSuburbia
Summary: "Someone's always supposed to pay." Lilly's murder and the harassment afterwards had changed her. Really changed her. S1 one-shot.


"Someone's always supposed to pay." Lilly's murder and the harassment afterwards had changed her. Really changed her. S1 one-shot.

* * *

She'd changed over the summer. Or maybe she'd already started to change much earlier, months ago, but he just hadn't noticed because it'd happened so gradually. Or he'd been too caught up in trying to hurt her that he hadn't really seen the person in front of him.

She'd been working out. He could see the strong muscles in her arms flexing as she bent over the hood of her worn-down LeBaron, her legs equally toned and tanned in frayed cut-off jeans. A strapless blue top showed much of the bare skin of her shoulders and neck, almost as if she was daring him to bite. Her hair was short and choppy.

But her face. Her face had changed the most. Her cheekbones had become more prominent, giving her a sharpness he hadn't seen before. Her mouth was turned into a permanent snarl. Her eyes seemed ice-cold and calculating.

She looked tough. Hardened. Sexy.

He walked up to her, making sure his buddies were watching from a distance. Time to see what this new Veronica Mars was capable of. Somehow he knew she wasn't going to cry, which was good. He was curious to know what she would come up with now, to see if she was finally up for a challenge. Tormenting her would be much more fun if she actually gave him some backfire.

'Well, well, well… Veronica Mars.' He kept approaching her even as she ignored him, finishing up her work on the engine. He was almost mesmerized by her biceps, tensing and relaxing. Suddenly, she whirled around.

'Logan Echolls.' Her voice was breezy and the smile on her face seemed almost sincere. Yet those eyes hadn't changed. 'How can I help you?'

'Offering your services now? During school hours? My, my, miss Mars, you sure are a classy lady.'

She didn't so much as blink. No tears, no flaring cheeks, not even a bitter remark. Instead, she shuffled a few inches closer. He drew a sharp breath. So she was using his techniques now. Invading her personal space was one of his favorite ways to make her feel uncomfortable.

She didn't seem uncomfortable now. On the contrary. She smiled seductively, her voice hoarse and sultry as leaned over to whisper something in his ear. 'Oh, I've got something to offer.'

This wasn't what he'd expected and he had no idea what she was going to do next. He started to panic as he realized she had the upper hand this time.

She came even closer, unbearably close, flinging one arm around his neck. He wanted to pull back, but that would mean he'd lost. He resisted the urge, but failed to hide the look of bewilderment in his eyes.

In a flash, the smiling façade dropped and he could see a look of pure hatred on her face as she pulled a knife from her pocket and waved it in front of his nose. He jerked backwards. 'Holy fuck!'

'Not what you were expecting, wasn't it?' She started laughing now, the sound of it almost painful, and he saw it.

Veronica Mars was dead. He'd killed her.

Now there was no one left. Lilly was gone, Duncan was just an empty shell and he'd turned into the person he'd always hated the most. The girl standing in front of him was a stranger. He breathed heavily, eying her suspiciously as he wasn't sure what she was going to do next.

'What the hell's up with the knife?'

She blinked her eyes in apparent confusion, unknowingly mimicking and mocking the kind of girl she used to be. 'A knife? What on earth are you talking about?'

Before he could respond, some biker boy appeared next to her and shoved his tongue down her throat. That explained the faint smell of cigarettes and liquor hanging around her. he turned away, disgusted. He ignored his friends and headed straight for the main building.

Not only did he feel embarrassed, he also felt ashamed. '_Trailer trash._' That's what he'd called her. She'd lived up to that title, turned into the person he'd never wanted her to be.

Then there was this other feeling that both confused and startled him.

Only now he noticed the heavy lump in his pocket. He halted, carefully reaching for whatever she'd put in there. It must've been her, only she'd been standing close enough to slip something into his pocket without having him notice. His eyes widened as his hands closed around the blade, cutting into his flesh.

The knife. A slip of now bloodied paper.

'Keep it close. You're gonna need it.'

Pride. He felt oddly proud of the girl Veronica Mars had become. Looking over his shoulder, he saw her in the parking lot wrapping her arms around her boyfriend's waist as she hopped on the back of his motorcycle. The first day of school and she was cutting classes already.

The Veronica he'd known and loved was dead. But this girl would survive. He knew. Oh god, _he knew._


End file.
